Russian court sentences journalist Mikhail Afanasyev to 5½ years in prison for ‘fake news’ about army
New York, September 7, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a Russian court’s sentencing of Mikhail Afanasyev, founder and publisher of online magazine Novy Fokus, to 5½ years imprisonment for allegedly using his position to spread false information about the Russian army. The Abakan court on Thursday also banned Afanasyev from working as a journalist,…
Turkish journalist Mehmet Karakeçili beaten, Hale Gönültaş threatened
Istanbul, September 7, 2023—Turkish authorities should ensure the safety of journalists Mehmet Karakeçili and Hale Gönültaş and hold to account those responsible for recent incidents involving the journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On the evening of August 29, Karakeçili, chief editor for the local news website Virantv in the southeastern city of…
Cyberattackers used US company RayoByte in efforts to crash media sites
The cyberattack against the Somali Journalists Syndicate could not have come at a worse time. A distributed denial-of-service attack, known by its acronym DDoS, flooded the local press freedom group’s website with traffic in early August and knocked it offline. Days later, authorities arrested SJS staff member and Kaab TV editor Mohamed Ibrahim Osman Bulbul…
Belarusian court sentences journalist Larysa Shchyrakova to 3.5 years in prison
New York, August 31, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a Belarusian court’s sentencing of journalist Larysa Shchyrakova to 3.5 years in prison for allegedly discrediting the country and facilitating extremism. “By sentencing journalist Larysa Shchyrakova to 3.5 years in prison, Belarusian authorities are once again demonstrating their vindictiveness towards those who reported independently on…
Two exiled Russian journalists sentenced to 11 years for disseminating ‘fake’ news on Ukraine war
New York, August 31, 2023—Russian authorities should not contest the appeals of exiled journalists Ruslan Leviev and Michael Nacke and drop all charges against them, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On Tuesday, August 29, the Basmanny Court in Moscow sentenced Leviev, founder of the Russian independent investigative project Conflict Intelligence Team, and Nacke,…
Journalist Arsen Chepurnyi injured in Russian missile strike in Ukraine
On August 19, 2023, Russian forces fired a missile that struck the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, injuring Arsen Chepurnyi, a freelance Ukrainian journalist with the local news website Chas Chernihivskyi, according to the journalist and by local press freedom group Institute of Mass Information and local trade group National Union of Journalists of Ukraine….
Turkish authorities again block Voice of America’s Turkish website
Istanbul, August 29, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Turkish authorities to reverse their recent decision to block access to the Turkish-language website of the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Voice of America. “Turkish authorities’ relentless attempts to control the flow of news and information in the country have led to yet another court order blocking…
Kyrgyz authorities apply to shutter investigative outlet Kloop
Stockholm, August 28, 2023—Kyrgyz authorities should withdraw their application to shutter Kloop Media, a non-profit foundation that runs the independent news and anti-corruption investigative website Kloop, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On August 22, the city prosecutor in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, applied to the courts to liquidate Kloop Media because the foundation’s charter…
Masked man beats journalist Mirza Dervišević in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Berlin, August 25, 2023—Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities must swiftly and thoroughly investigate the recent attack on journalist Mirza Dervišević, determine whether it was related to his work, and ensure that he is protected from further assaults, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Saturday, August 19, a masked man armed with brass knuckles hit…
CPJ condemns Russian court’s 3-month extension of detention of US journalist Evan Gershkovich
New York, August 24, 2023—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a Russian court’s decision on Thursday to extend the pretrial detention of U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich until November 30. “Every new extension of Evan Gershkovich’s detention is a blow to the freedom of the press in Russia and an attack on the work of foreign…